$3.58 Million Gift Will Forward Scientific Advances For Mesothelioma Research, One Of The Most Difficult To Treat Cancers

The UH Cancer Center has received a $3.58 million gift from an anonymous donor to support the mesothelioma research of Dr. Michele Carbone, director of the UH Cancer Center. Carbone and colleagues, who include Drs. Haining Yang and Giovanni Gaudino, have made a series of recent scientific breakthroughs that will lead to new ways to prevent and treat the disease.

"This generous gift is critical to support our efforts to generate discoveries that will aid in the prevention of mesothelioma and the development of new therapies," said Dr. Carbone. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that line the chest and abdominal cavities. It results in one of the most aggressive types of tumors, and current median survival from diagnosis is just twelve months. Exposure to airborne asbestos or erionite particles increases one's risk of developing mesothelioma.

The gift is the second largest in UH Cancer Center history. "Mesothelioma is a serious public health problem," said Dr. Virginia Hinshaw, Chancellor of UH Mānoa. "We're proud that Dr. Carbone's team is leading the world in this area of discovery. This gift validates their efforts and will help them remain at the forefront of thoracic oncology research."

Dr. Carbone and colleagues have studied mesothelioma for more than a decade. Significant findings have come from studies conducted in the villages of Capadoccia, a region of Turkey. Dubbed "death villages," nearly 50% of the area's residents develop and die of mesothelioma. The epidemic is caused by exposure to a fiber called erionite that is even more potent than asbestos in causing mesothelioma. Erionite is a naturally occurring mineral found in rock formations and homes built of rock material in the region. The team's findings led to a response from the Turkish government that included building the villagers new homes and a regional health center to conduct treatment.

Dr. Carbone and collaborators will conduct a clinical trial co-sponsored by the Early Detection Research Network of the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Turkish Ministry of Health to validate serum biomarkers they discovered for the early detection of mesothelioma.

This past winter, Dr. Carbone reported new findings describing potential erionite exposure in the U.S. (Nature, Dec. 16, 2010). Collaborating with scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health, they found evidence of erionite in rock materials used to pave roads in North Dakota and other states. Public health concerns have been raised and the team's examination continues in partnership with the EPA. Findings from a new detailed study were presented at a recent scientific meeting and are pending publication in a leading scientific journal. The National Institutes of Health has planned a conference this fall to discuss potential public health issues related to erionite exposure."

Source:
Kellie Tormey
University of Hawaii Cancer Center

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Mesothelioma Cancer Remission And Cell Research

The search for a cure to mesothelioma, the incurable asbestos-related cancer, continues as recently released figures show 2,000 diagnosed cases are recorded annually in the UK, and the number of deaths rose to 66.4 per million people between 2006 and 2008.

The long latency period of between 15 to 50 years before the first signs of mesothelioma or asbestosis symptoms emerge has often been a decisive factor in trying to detect the disease at an early stage in a bid to improve survival rates. In addition, asbestosis treatments involving new research into genetic / cellular behaviour and drug therapy combinations have shown promising results.

Remission has been achieved in some instances, either spontaneously or through the adoption of specialised treatment procedures. While complete remission and the disappearance of all evidence of mesothelioma cancer is rare, long-term mesothelioma survivors may be considered to be in partial remission when they are able to survive for several years after diagnosis, despite the presence of the cancer tumours.

While a surgery procedure is the most likely method, which can lead to prolonging remission, partial or complete remission has also been obtained from other therapies, including systemic chemotherapy, immunotherapy and oxygen therapy. In addition, the sustained application of palliative treatments, which involve significant dietary changes by adopting a vegetarian diet plus nutritional supplements.

Recent research suggests that the nuclei of mesothelioma cells could contain vital clues for predicting patient survival, rather than a prognosis based on the prescribed stage and severity the mesothelioma has reached. Analysis of the nuclei of cell samples was taken from a study group of over 230 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

An evaluation was then made by classification of seven determining features, including variation in appearance, pattern of DNA and proteins, extra proteins, components of the nucleus and abnormal division of the chromosomes.

Analysis of each cell sample revealed that the variation in appearance and the number of dividing cells were directly related to patient prognosis. A three-tier nuclear grade score was created from the observations. The average patient survival for Grade I - 28 months, Grade II - 14 months, and Grade III - 5 months.

The researchers concluded, "Not only was nuclear grade an independent predictor of overall survival, but it was also a stronger discriminator of survival than all currently available factors,". In addition, the nuclear grading system also proved a useful indicator when predicting time to mesothelioma recurrence in patients who underwent complete surgical resection.

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